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Two former Parramatta Eels players are accused of harbouring semi-automatic weapons and possessing more than half-a-million dollars in cash after dramatic arrests in Sydney's Centennial Park yesterday.

Authorities fear Australia's appetite for illegal drugs means cartels will continue to target the country with more sophisticated methods to avoid detection.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said Australians were among the highest users of illicit drugs in the world.

"Syndicates such as these are motivated by greed and have no regard for the significant amount of harm they cause the Victorian and Australian community," Mr Fontana said.

He said there needed to be work done in the community to tackle the demand for drugs.

"Their tactics are to increase addiction and we need to educate people on the harm drugs do in the community," Mr Fontana said.

Four of the arrested men were Australian, two were Canadian and one was British.

"This operation has led to arrests and seizures in other state jurisdictions and has caused significant disruption to an international drug syndicate operating across several countries," Mr Fontana said.